


Silence Speaks

by Fruipit



Category: Frozen (2013)
Genre: Angst, Deaf Characters - Freeform, F/F, Fluff, Implied/Referenced Sexual Assault, Physical Disability, deafness
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-02-28
Updated: 2019-02-28
Packaged: 2019-11-07 00:13:56
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,009
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17949881
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Fruipit/pseuds/Fruipit
Summary: Collection of one-shots and drabbles featuring one or more Deaf characters.





	1. Feel the Rhythm

**Author's Note:**

> anonymous ask on tumblr: "deaf!elsa is smiling pleasantly at anna, who is playing guitar at a cafe's open mic night. anna is thrilled because she thinks she has a fan and a cute one at that but it's just because anna's pretty and looks so passionate about her music."

The first time it happens, Anna’s just finding her bearings. She’s got a slot for 7pm and very nearly misses it because her ass of a boyfriend is dragging his feet and doesn’t drop her off until a quarter-to. He’s made it very obvious that he’d rather be anywhere but the little café, but Anna also thinks that he can go and suck it.

This is kind of what she’s always dreamed about. Sort of. She’s twenty-one and studying music at college, but what she really wants to do is  _play_  it.

Hans thinks it’s a waste of time, and to see her do it is a waste of  _his_  time. Anna’s starting to think that maybe he’s a waste of hers. He’s not even here to support her, he’s here because she said she’d buy him dinner afterward.

He sulks in the corner, playing some stupid game on his phone as she looks around the room. There are a few other people, thankfully. She’s got her acoustic guitar and a few songs ready – a couple she’s made, but there are a few covers to get people in the mood. Everyone loves  _The Scientist_ , right? Perches on a chair on a little stage in the corner an introduces herself. One person looks her way, but that’s about it. She doesn’t let it get to her. Hopefully, this is the first performance in a long line of them.

As she plays, she looks out at the small crowd. There’s an old man reading the newspaper, and a few uni students with laptops. Another girl in the corner, reading a book. The cashier, Tiana, gives Anna a smile as she begins. It was actually her idea to get Anna to play. Texts Anna whenever the café has an open slot. It’s not until now that Anna’s been able to do it.

By the second song, Anna’s actually getting into it. No one’s focussing on her, but that’s actually good. She’s just here to be a bit of background noise, put her name out there. Swaying on her stool, she lets the music speak for itself – completely losing herself in it in the process. She’s smiling as she sings, and maybe something changes because the moment her eyes align on the girl reading the book, she looks up.

She looks up and  _smiles_.

Anna’s heart flutters, and she looks away for a moment to check her fingering (not that she needs to; she can hear it herself). When she looks back up, the girl is still looking at her. Her book is shut, and it gives Anna just that little more confidence. Her heart flutters.

And that’s the first time it happens.

* * *

The second time it happens, Hans isn’t there. He’d tried to guilt her into going out to dinner, but she’d already agreed to do another little show. When the guilt-tripping hadn’t worked, he’d stormed off. Managed to complain about city parking  _and_  make it her fault, too.

So, she starts her session just strumming something without lyrics to calm down because how  _dare_  he?

It takes about ten minutes to calm down, but her voice is still a little too shakey, so she switches to something else a little more up-beat. Anna takes a breath, ready to start actually singing something, when the bell above the door rings. That’s not normally enough to break her concentration, and it wouldn’t, had she not immediately perked up.

It’s the girl from last time. Anna tries to hide her excitement because she probably won’t even remember her, but Anna does. Anna remembers her, and she remembers how it felt to have her attention. All at once, her annoyance over Hans has disappeared.

The night goes even better after that.

The girl sits a little closer. She doesn’t even get a book out; she just watches Anna as she drinks her coffee. She taps off-beat to the music, and it’s a little distracting so Anna has to keep watching her face instead of her hands.

Not that Anna’s complaining. The girl is really beautiful.

So she just tries to enjoy the attention because God knows she’s not getting it from Hans, and spends the rest of her set playing fun songs the girl can tap along to.

When it’s over, she’s worked up the courage to at least introduce herself. By the time she’s put her guitar away, though, the girl has left. It’s probably for the best.

It’s late and Hans texted Anna once throughout the whole thing, wondering when she’d be back because he wants her to come over and bring Chinese food for dinner.

She frowns at the message, and puts her phone away.

“Hey,” she says to Tiana instead. She’ll get a sandwich here before stopping off at the Chinese place. “That girl with the blonde hair, do you know her name?”

“Who, Elsa?” Tiana laughs. She’s making a coffee for another patron, and Anna briefly toys with the idea of getting a mocha.

She doesn’t because it’s way too late, but maybe next time.

And then Tiana’s words sink in, and she gives a goofy little smile. “Elsa, huh? Nice name…”

“Mhmm.” Tiana just looks at her, and Anna has the good grace to at least duck her head.

She doesn’t linger; she buys her sandwich and says her farewells, and all the way home, she keeps thinking about the girl.

Elsa.

* * *

The third time it happens, it’s raining outside. Anna’s damp, and so is her guitar case. Tiana lends her a dishtowel so she can at least get mot of the water out of her hair.

She had to catch two buses to be here, now that Hans is off dating someone else, but Anna still somehow feels happier. She spies Tiana sending a sneaky text from behind the counter and has to laugh. She gets straight into it because the little coffee shop is actually busier than usual, despite (or perhaps because of) the rain.

So she dances along a little to her playing, not much, but a little. Taps her foot and smiles at the patrons – a few even smile back.

She’s just finishing up her second-to-last song when a familiar face enters the café. It’s still raining cats and dogs out there – Anna has no idea why anyone would choose to brave the weather – but when Elsa smiles at her, she’s definitely not going to argue.

So maybe she adds an extra couple of songs on the end. Elsa always seems to smile when Anna’s playing, and she wants to keep it on her face. This time, when she gathers her courage, she doesn’t give it – or Elsa – time to slip away. As soon as she’s done, she gives a little bow just before she heads straight towards Elsa’s table.

Elsa’s looking at her the whole way. Her eyes get progressively wider, and by the time Anna’s stopped behind the opposite chair, Elsa’s got this real deer-in-headlights look on her face. Swallowing, Anna opens her mouth.

“Hi, I’m Anna. Do you wanna maybe get a coffee with me?”

She bites her bottom lip, still trying to smile but the urge quickly fading as Elsa doesn’t answer. She’s just about to apologise and go hide for the rest of the night when Elsa lifts her hands. She’s got this heartbreaking frown on her face that has Anna’s whole stomach dropping.

She points to herself with her left hand before lifting two fingers to tap at her ear. Her lips move, silent words falling from them, and Anna thinks she’s maybe figured out what the issue is.

And then Elsa reaches into her bag and pulls out a notepad with a pen. She mimes writing something before passing it over to Anna.

She’s deaf. Or Deaf, depending.

So why was she coming to listen to Anna’s playing?

Biting her lip again, Anna bends down to write out her question. She pauses for a moment before adding the second one underneath.

_I wanna ask you on a date, but I don’t know sign. Why were you watching me play?_

She hopes it’s not too rude to ask as she passes the little notepad back. Elsa takes a little moment to read it, and when she picks up the pen, she’s got a grin on her face.

 _I’d love to go on a date,_ it says when she passes it back.  _And I just like watching you. You always look so happy._

Anna’s whole heart bursts at the line – and what a line. So she points at herself, then at the seat, and then gives a thumbs up. It’s a question, and it seems Elsa gets that message because she starts nodding emphatically.

Then she makes two fists, putting one on top of the other and moving them in circles, grinding into each other. Anna lifts and eyebrow, and Elsa laughs again before pointing to Tiana. Elsa takes an imaginary sip of an imaginary coffee, and Anna understands.

By the end of the evening, she’s already planning on trying to learn a little more.

Elsa seems pretty happy to teach her, too, if their plan for another date the next night is anything to go by.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Anonymous ask on tumblr: "I see your prompt and raise you a challenge! (obv you don't gotta do this if you don't want to) Elsa, who was born deaf, meets Anna, who just became deaf from an accident (could be from a disease, other medical-related, or good ol' fashion car accidents). friendship and tentative budding romance~"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> so uh content warnings for past sexual assault (nothing graphic at all dw!). characters have just met at a support group for sexual assault survivors so just so you know what you’re walking into.
> 
> also uses australian sign language (auslan) and some other australianisms. i wanna use more of them in my writing :)

A hot breeze pushes the last few stragglers into the building. A small fan putters, helpless against the heat, and the air is thick and humid. There's some cool water in a couple of jugs, plus some snacks along a table. Someone's brought Tim Tams, and Elsa takes one with a little grin.

Elsa's been coming here a few years now. Kristoff, her brother, chats to a few of the other regulars. He needs to be here as much as she does. This little group, one for survivors (not victims; never victims) is small and friendly. There are far more familiar faces than not, and though the space is predominantly owned by women, there are still a few men. Elsa smiles at one, Herc, and he smiles back. She has a lot of respect for him. It's not easy admitting to have been sexually assaulted as a woman, let alone as a man. The people she's met here are more family than her own – sans her brother, of course.

In fact, there's only two new faces. They're girls, probably a few years younger than Elsa herself. They sit together, and while one – a brunette, with short cropped hair – is looking around the space with mild interest, the other, a freckled little thing with red hair, keeps her gaze averted.

A tendril of something curls in Elsa's gut, and if she had to guess, she'd say that only one of those people actually needs to be here; the other is simply a... more familiar support.

Eventually, everyong makes their way to the circle and takes a seat. There are a few smiles and head nods, but not much else until someone leans forward. It's Milo – he's been going here even longer than Elsa has, and is sort of the de facto leader.

He begins speaking, though Elsa's eyes are trained on Kristoff. His hands move, interpreting Milo's words for her. He introduces himself, thanks everyone for coming, despite the weather. Everyone says hi, and Elsa waves at him. Even though it's been done a thousand times before, everyone goes around in the circle, introducing themselves. It's mostly for the new people, but it's a way to break the ice. To open up the floor and let people share something, even if it isn't the reason they're all there tonight.

When it's Elsa's turn, she stands up, just like everyone else. Gives a small smile and a wave before her hands move in front of her. They spell out her name, and then after, sign it. She knows Kristoff is translating for her.

But something strikes her as she finishes her name and moves on to the rest of the mantra; the girl, the new one with the red hair – not the brunette – is looking at her. Her friend nudges her once, with a smile, and she doesn't even seem to hear Kristoff speak. Her eyes are trained on Elsa's hands.

As soon as Elsa finishes her introduction and sits back down, the girl looks away again. She doesn't even look up until her friend – Punz, who's only here to support her – is nudging her. She shakes her head, and her friend answers for her.

She wonders why.

But then Milo takes control again, opening up the floor to people who might actually want to talk. Elsa sits back in her chair and just observes.

Maybe she'll share something tonight. It seems like a good night for it.

* * *

 

Anna doesn't want to be here. She hates it; hates that this sort of thing happened. Of course, there's a good _reason_ to be here. She'd just... prefer to deal with this in private.

It's just that therapy is expensive and group support meetings are cheap. She'd only come because Punz had said she'd come with.

It's been almost three months, she'd said. It's time.

It doesn't feel like it.

Anna doesn't want to hear – hah! – about everyone else's trauma. She doesn't want to share her own. In the intervening months, she hasn't got the words, the _language_ , to talk about it.

But then someone stands up and introduces themselves, and Anna _understands_. The girl uses her left hand like a pen, her right like the paper, and spells out her name:

Tapping her right pointer finger – E.

Laying her left index across the palm – L.

Interlocking her pinkies – S.

Pointing to her thumb – A.

Elsa.

She says something else, and Anna can't stop staring. She doesn't understand, but she doesn't have to. Punz nudges her, almost gives the game away, but Anna... doesn't really mind so much.

They're almost directly opposite each other, so Anna has some time to gather her courage. She can do this. She can _do_ this. She's been working, practising, so that she _can_ communicate.

But by the time everyone's gaze is on her, she falters. She can't do this. Punz introduces her, and it feels so pathetic.

The girl, Elsa, gives her a little smile, and Anna can feel some of the tension in her relax. The boy next to her signs her name: tapping his thumb, then two fingers across his palm – twice for the double-letter – before tapping his thumb again. He's a lot better than she's ever going to be; it's only because she knows what it looks like that she can follow his movements.

After that, she resumes looking at the floor. Only Punz knows that she can't follow the conversation, but she doesn't try and get Anna to participate. It's a big enough step, coming here.

That being said, Punz does interrupt her silent stand-off with the scuffed floorboards to nudge her. Anna ignores her, until her friend does it again. She lifts her head to glare at Punz, but she's immediately distracted.

The boy isn't signing, because the girl is.

Elsa isn't standing, but she's leaned forward in her chair. She's much more expressive in her face and her body language. She even mouths the words, pausing every so often to let the boy translate for her. Anna understands enough. She knows the sign for 'my' and 'father'. The distaste on Elsa's face – the curling of her bottom lip, the scrunching of her nose. Even the exaggerated motions of 'tell' and 'love' explain more for Anna than spoken words ever will.

A lot of it, she doesn't understand. She knows enough.

There's a small break once Elsa sits back, finishing her story for now. It's too hot, and everyone wants to get a drink or go to the bathroom. Punz pulls out a pen and a piece of paper.

_how are you feeling_? she scribbles out. Her handwriting has always been neat. Anna's used to be. It's part and parcel, the doctors said. Part of the trauma. Her hand still shakes sometimes, too.

_WHAT HAPPEN WITH ELSA? WHO IS BOY?_

Punz turns around to look. Elsa's standing by the table, eating a half-melted Tim Tam. The boy is saying something to her, hands moving rapidly as she grins. Anna tries not to look at them too long. She doesn't want them to realise.

Taking the pen, Punz writes out her answer. _Her brother. I think his name is Christopher? You should say hi._

When Anna's finished reading it, she sends Punz a doleful look. Punz responds with a smile, taking her friend's hand and standing up. She tugs it, very lightly, and Anna hesitates a few more seconds before she gives in.

She trusts Punz. Always has and always will. That doesn't mean it's always easy, though, and she though she trusts _Punz_ , there are a lot of people here tonight and she knows none of them. How they could expect her to share her trauma with strangers is...

...Not as stupid an idea as it seems. If she were more confident, perhaps, with her communication, she might actually get some use out of it.

So Punz leads her towards the sibling duo and Anna feels the way her grip tightens against Punz's hand. She hasn't really met any new people since the incident – hasn't wanted to. Anna keeps her eyes averted as Punz, presumably, begins the introductions. In her periphery, she can see the boy begin signing again, though she hasn't the courage to look at him properly. Punz shifts, and Anna's grip tightens. She blinks rapidly, gaze planted on the floor because the longer she's here, the less she wants to be. For no reason – no logical reason – tears begin building behind her eyes and she wants to be alone.

Another thing considered "normal", according to the therapist.

It's not that she's thinking anything terrible. She isn't descending a spiral of negative thoughts, but it still comes as a surprise when she feels a tap on her shoulder. She looks up—

—and into the brightest eyes she's ever seen.

Elsa is standing _right there_ , though there's still enough space between them. Anna... doesn't really like people getting too close now, and everyone in this room probably feels similarly.

But with the way Elsa is smiling, soft and warm, Anna can kind of feel her guard relaxing, just a little. When Elsa points at her, then gives a two-finger salute before spelling out Anna's name, brows furrowed in question, it isn't so hard to give a little nod. She understands that, at least.

Then Elsa is leaning back, patting her chest before pointing at Anna and giving that same little salute.

She likes Anna's name.

And Anna wants to return the compliment because Elsa's name is pretty, too, but she doesn't want to let go of Punz's hand, and she doesn't want to fuck up in front of this woman and her brother.

But something in the way Elsa is smiling at her bolsters her confidence. Enough to let go and to bring her hands up slowly.

Anna points to herself before splaying her hands out in front of her. They're facing each other, like she's holding an imaginary box, and she starts moving them in circles as though doing a tiny imitation of a locomotive. Then, she sticks out her pinky so it points to the sky.

Elsa smiles.

Her own speech is much faster, Anna's seen it, but Elsa seems to be slowing down so that Anna can understand. It doesn't seem condescending. She knows she's supposed to be looking at Elsa's face, it's one of the rules of polite conversation, but if she does she knows she'll lose whatever tenuous grip she has on Elsa's words.

It seems as though she's trying to be encouraging. Anna can't read lips, but the way Elsa mouths the words helps.

She was born Deaf, Anna thinks. That's what she seems to be saying.

Anna wasn't born deaf, and it shows.

She bites her lip and turns to Punz, who's been watching the small conversation with an uncomprehending gaze. Anna might not be very good yet, but Punz has only just started learning. Once Anna built up the courage to tell her that it was permanent, the damage.

She points to Punz, then to her lips, before finally her fingers land on the siblings. She hopes the meaning is clear.

Anna's not quite ready for everyone to know what happened, but... maybe just two people. After all, isn't that what the support meeting is for?

* * *

Elsa isn't expecting to be approached. She isn't expecting to be drawn into a conversation in her own native language – not one that isn't with her brother, at any rate.

She's not expecting her earlier guess to be accurate: that it's only the redhead, Anna, who really needs to be here. And while part of her hadn't entertained the idea that Anna would use Auslan, it's also making her perhaps a little more friendly than usual.

Kristoff catches her eye, and she looks away.

It's not like she has to defend herself. Anna _is_ a pretty name! The girl doesn't have a sign name, though, and her language skills are nowhere near fluent. So perhaps she's been language-deprived?

That idea fades, as does Elsa's good cheer, when her friend tells the story. It's a truncated version, naturally – no need to get into too much detail – but it's enough. Anna went through trauma. She survived. But her scars aren't just mental or emotional. They're not going to fade over time, like Kristoff's did. She'll always be reminded of what she went through because she lost more than just her agency: she lost her hearing.

Elsa was born deaf. She doesn't know what it's like to suddenly be without, but she supposes it would be like cutting off a limb. If she suddenly lost her sight, there would be no way to communicate with the world around her. She'd have to make concessions where she never did before.

She may even lose friends over it – though she'd hope that she chose ones deserving of her.

While Punz relays the story, Anna kind of just folds up. Her hand finds her friend's again and she resumes looking at the floor, and Elsa's heart just breaks at the sight. She wants to see what Anna looks like happy, because everyone who comes to these meetings deserves some kind of happiness, but Anna even more so. She deserves something to make up for everything she's lost.

Elsa's not stupid enough to think that thing might be her. She isn't conceited enough. But, she does recognise the power of friendships and support and positive relationships during this time, and she wants to be one of those people in Anna's life.

So once Punz finishes the story, and Kristoff's hands fall still, Elsa makes a move. It's one tiny step forward, but this time she doesn't have to tap Anna's shoulder because her head jerks up before she can.

Elsa smiles at her, gaze focused solely on the redhead as her hands begin to move.

Pointing to Anna. _You_.

Resting a hand on her chest before sweeping away, like brushing crumbs. _Want_.

Bringing her hands together, cupping them with the backs of her fingers pointed outward. _With_.

Pointing at herself. _Me_.

Flicking her index finger away. _Go_.

Forming a C, thumb resting at the corner of her lips before tilting her hand. _Drink_.

Stacking her fists on top of each other, moving them in a circle. _Coffee_.

Forms a thumbs-up, brushing them down her chest. _Practise_.

Splays her hands between her head and chest, shaking them. _Auslan_.

_Do you want to get a coffee with me? Practise Auslan_?

Anna just looks at her for a moment, eyes wide. It's not a date, Elsa thinks – this is the wrong place to ask that, wrong time. But... she would like to talk to Anna. Help her acclimatise.

Be her friend.

And the way Anna finally, for the first time that night, gives a little smile... maybe she'd like that, too.

**Author's Note:**

> i hope you enjoyed it! :) i’m using auslan (australian sign language) as the language elsa uses. it’s similar to BSL and is two-handed. elsa is left-handed


End file.
